The telephone number for emergency calls on campus using the University’s phone system is 2424 or 412-397-2424 from any other telephone. The telephone number may be used for all emergency and routine business calls. The department fax number is 412-397-2499.

Public Safety and Parking

The RMU Public Safety Department, located in the Barry Center, is a full-service law enforcement agency. It is staffed with sworn police officers certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Under the direction of the Chief of Police, all RMU officers have full arrest powers and receive training just as other local law enforcement officers would.

The objective of the department is to ensure and maintain a safe campus environment while providing you with as much assistance as possible. The department is comprised solely of a patrol division with access to marked police vehicles, golf carts, and bicycles for patrolling the campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All police officers are responsible for crime prevention, traffic and parking enforcement, and community policing on all of the RMU campuses.

Our Public Safety Department is charged with creating a safe and secure environment. This task, however, is not one we can accomplish alone. Our efforts to maintain a safe and secure environment rely on our ability to develop collaborative relationships with the many communities that make up the university. We hope you will find your stay at Robert Morris to be both pleasant and safe.

The department consists of 16 professional police officers and 2 public safety officers serving all properties of the Moon Township campus, as well as the Island Sports Center. All officers are highly trained and dedicated to providing first-class service to the community.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Robert Morris University Public Safety Department is to promote an atmosphere which is free from fear for personal safety, property loss, or accident and thereby enhances the overall operation and academic excellence of Robert Morris University. Through continuous protection, service and education, the Public Safety Department contributes to the maintenance of a free, orderly and safe campus environment. To accomplish the established mission, it is essential that the Public Safety Department strive for excellence in operations and community service which will result in the confidence, respect, support and cooperation of the University community.

Law Enforcement Authority

The Public Safety Department is assigned to the Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police, under the Vice President for Human Resources. The department employs a Director /Chief of Police, Lieutenant, two Sergeants, two Detectives, twelve Police Officers and two Public Safety Officers.

The Public Safety Department is made up of armed, sworn commissioned police officers and armed, non-sworn public safety officers. The armed sworn police officers derive their law enforcement authority from the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Article 6, and from Statute, 22 Pa. C.S. § 50, Section 501 of the Act of November 15, 1972, P.L. 1063 No. 271 (also known as Act 501). Act 501 gives university police officers “...all the powers of a police officer in the Commonwealth, in and upon, and in the immediate and adjacent vicinity of, the property of the corporation.” All police officers are required to complete a basic police academy training course approved and authorized by the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission, known as Act 120. They are required to keep certification current in Act 235 to carry a firearm related to their duties. Officers are required to attend mandatory in service training throughout the year to enable them to perform more efficiently and more safely.

The armed, non-sworn public safety officers are assigned to the Island Sports Center of Robert Morris University. They do not have arrest powers, but may detain an individual if they are involved in a criminal activity until turned over to a police officer. University police officers and public safety officers are trained in CPR, First Aid/First Responder and the use of AEDs (automatic external defibrillators). The non-sworn public safety officers receive orientation training in the areas such as building security, key control, procedures related to arrest by police officers, and patrol procedures. Public Safety Officers also receive specialty training regarding medical emergencies and assist police officers in these areas.